KUALA TERENGGANU, March 26 ― Construction work on the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project in Terengganu has reached 80.28 per cent progress as of last February, said Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak.

He said the work progress of the project in Terengganu is the fastest and recorded the highest percentage compared to the other three states, namely Pahang, Kelantan and Selangor, attributing this to the cooperation extended by the various parties involved.

"The land acquisition process for all the ECRL's main routes in Terengganu has been completed while the track installation work is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

"With work progress of 80.28 per cent in Terengganu and 62.40 per cent overall, we are actually on a good track for the project to be fully completed by the end of December 2026,” he said when met by reporters at a Breaking of Fast With ECRL programme organised by MRL and China Communications Construction Sdn Bhd (CCC-ECRL) here last night.

Some 25 people, including orphans and students of Madrasah Tarbiyyah Islamiyah Darul Hijrah were treated to the breaking of fast.

Darwis said that in Terengganu, most of the infrastructure works for the project have been completed.

The construction of the ECRL project in Terengganu includes a 242-kilometre stretch from Besut to Kemaman.

It also involves the construction of six stations namely, Jertih Station, Besut; Bandar Permaisuri Station, Setiu; Kuala Terengganu Station and Kemasik Station, Kemaman for passenger trains, while the other two stations, namely Dungun Station and Chukai Station, Kemaman, will be developed for cargo and passenger stations.

The 665-kilometre-long ECRL line from Kota Baru, Kelantan to Gombak Integrated Terminal, Selangor, is expected to be completed in December 2026.

When completed, travel time from Kuala Terengganu to Gombak Integrated Terminal will only take about three hours. ― Bernama